


A Very Eridan Christmas

by Diego_Brando



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Inspired by A Christmas Carol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-16
Updated: 2014-12-16
Packaged: 2018-03-01 17:11:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2781149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diego_Brando/pseuds/Diego_Brando
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Well, why not.</p><p>I made a Homestuck version of A Christmas Carol.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Eridan sat at his table, counting coins. A knock at his door made him jump, jostling his table. He looked up at Sollux, his worker.

“Keep counting.” he said, getting up.

“Yes sir…” Sollux said, looking back down at the coins. He continued whispering numbers to himself as Eridan walked by and opened the door.

“Yo.”

“HELLO.”

Karkat and Meenah were at the door, Meenah holding a jingling bag over her shoulder and Karkat trying to hold his head out above 14 Christmas wreaths. “yo sir you want some of these festive wreaths I give like half the profits to the poor and then like I get some and then i gotta buy more wreaths” Meenah said, looking at her nails. “then i guess he gets some too”

“I FUCKING BETTER.” Karkat said as he pushed his way into the room. 

Meenah followed, saying “dude be more festive”

Eridan glared at both of them. “I don’t want to buy a wreath.”

Meenah stared. “You don’t wanna buy a wreath.”

Eridan stared back. “No. Now get out of my doorway.”

“YOU COULD JUST DONATE TO THE POOR DIRECTLY. PERHAPS. IT IS THE MAIN IDEA, ALTHOUGH MEENAH HAS FORGOTTEN.” Karkat said in his gruff voice, squinting at Meenah.

“ye i guess you could” Meenah said, wondering how she could justify literally taking from the poor.

“I wouldn’t want to put you people out of a job. If we give to the poor, soon there won’t be any poor left.” Eridan said, walking toward the two so as to push them out of the doorway. “And then you won’t have a job, and I don’t want you guys hunting for jobs in this economy…” he said, managing to get them out the door.

“dude do you even realize how many fuckin poor people there are”

“I KNOWW HOWW MANY POOR PEOPLE THERE ARE, MS. PEIXIS, AND I KNOWW THIS BECAUSE MANY OF THEM ARE PEOPLE THAT I BANKRUPTED AND PUT OUT INTO THE STREET!” Eridan shouted, so angry with the intruders his accent came back. “THEY WWERE ALL MY COMPETITION, AND I WWORKED HARD TO PUT THEM INTO THE ROAD, AND I AM NOT GIVVING THEM ANY SORT OF A HAND BACK UP!!” he roared at the very stunned pair. “NOWW, GET THE ACTUAL FUCK OUT OF MY OFFICE BEFORE I CASTRATE THE BOTH OF YOU.” he said, slamming the door in their faces.

Eridan stomped back to his desk, fuming. Sollux opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but then closed it like he thought better of it.

“WWHAT.” Eridan said. He knew that he better get this out of the way now, or else he would have to deal with it down the road.

“Well sir, it’s christmas. Today is Christmas eve.”

I KNOWW.” Eridan yelled at Sollux. “It’s why I’ve been in such a… sour mood.. as of late.” he said, his voice 

Sollux resisted the urge to make a comment and instead said, “well… since it’s a holiday… can I have Christmas day off?”

Eridan wanted to say no. Eridan did not like Sollux. However, Equius was in the hospital with a broken jaw and Sollux was working two workloads. He deserved a break.

Not that Eridan wanted to give him one.

Eridan did have a break on Christmas, but usually no one else did. Not in his office. Even though the only places open on Christmas were… Eridan had to think. There were no places open on Christmas. Only his. No one even came to his office.

He could have Sollux get more paperwork done, but he decided to instead give him more work on the 26th. “I suppose” he started, “It’s better to work when the others are. Since you’re the only person in the building on Christmas, and we’re the only shop open on Christmas, you’d be the only person doing any work at all on Christmas.”

“Yes…?” Sollux asked, hopefully.

“I suppose you may have the day off.” 

“...thank you, sir…” Sollux said after a very pregnant pause.

The two worked in silence for another three hours, until Eridan stood up, saying “I’m going home.” Sollux moved to stand up, but Eridan held his hand up, saying “You’re going to stay until 9pm.”

“Sir… it’s 9:33…” Sollux said.

“You’re staying until TWWELVVE, then!” he said, and walked out, slamming the door. As he walked home, he wondered if the damned snow would let up. He hated snow. He hated winter. He hated Christmas.

Arriving home, he opened his door. He stepped into the pitch dark room, and wandered to his couch. Dark was cheap- coal cost money and gas was even more. Wood was free in some places, but matches were cash literally burning.

Eridan sat in the dark. He thought about what he had done last year.

This. He had sat in the dark. He’d probably do it next year, too. He hadn’t always done this. But thinking about the past hurt too much. So he stopped.

His house’s small size and silence and emptiness made it easy to hear sounds from room to room. The only clock in his house was a single alarm clock, and it ticked loudly at the hours. It did so then eleven times, prompting Eridan to stand up. He changed into his pajamas and then went to his bedroom. Lying down on his bed, he heard caroling in the streets. He got out of his bed, opened his window, and yelled “SHUT THE FUCK UP! NOT EVVERYONE LIKES CHRISTMAS!!” And he drew back inside, slamming the window closed. Getting back in bed, Eridan closed his eyes before he heard melodic singing. It sounded nicer, but not wanting to appear like he only hated some people, he got up again.

“I SAID-” he said, opening the window. However, no one was out there. He looked all the way down the road, and then all the way up it. He closed the window and stepped back.

“Behind you, bro.”

Eridan jumped, backing up into his window as he turned. He hit his back and painfully slid to the floor. Before him was his dead brother Cronus.

Not as he had known him. This Cronus was purple and ethereal. And he was wrapped in chains.

“Wwhat…” Eridan said. In his worry, his accent had returned. 

“Still got that accent, I see.” Cronus said.

“I normally don’t havve it, but I’m seeing you, and you’re fuckin dead!”

“Wvhen did you get rid of it?”

“I took classes because it sounded stupid, and- YOU’RE FUCKIN DEAD! HOWW AM I TALKIN TO YOU? YOU DIED AND I THREWW YOUR BODY INTO THE OCEAN!!”

“I KNOWV YOU THREWV MY CORPSE INTO THE OCEAN! AND I CAME TO OFFER YOU A HINT. TONIGHT YOU ARE GOING TO BE WVISITED BY THREE SPIRITS BESIDES ME, SO GET FUCKIN READY.” Cronus shouted, his entire body turning glowing red. Turning back to his normal purple, he sat down on Eridan’s one chair.

“Why me?” Eridan asked. “Why am I the one who is chosen to be picked over by fuckin ghosts?”

“Because you’re literally the vworst person in Britain.”

“Wait, really?”

“Yup.”


	2. Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ghost of Christmas Past arrives to show Eridan where he messed up in the past.

Cronus had gone. He’d vanished several minutes ago. Eridan sat on his bed, dead center, waiting for the ghost he had heard was coming. He was worried- Cronus was pretty nice, but he wasn’t so sure about the next ghost. He might be meaner.

The clock began ringing. 12 times.

At the twelf ring, the room began glowing red. Eridan sighed. He hoped that this wasn’t what the thought it would be. Lo and god DAMN behold it was.

“Hell0” Aradia said. “I’m here to show you the past”

“God damn it.” Eridan said. He sat back onto his bed. “I don’t wanna.”

“Y0u d0n’t have any say in the matter.” Aradia said, grabbing his hand. “C0me 0n, then.”

“uuuuuuuggggggggggghhhhh” Eridan said as Aradia pulled him off his bed. “fiiiiiiine”

Aradia pulled Eridan off the bed, opened the window, and pulled him out through it. Soaring up to the highest point in the city- the clock tower, Aradia sat down on it. Eridan decided to sit down too.

“Are you actually Aradia?” Eridan asked.

“n0.” she said. “I’m s0me0ne wh0 has all the mem0ries and h0pes and dreams as her, but I’m just here for y0u and t0day 0nly.”

“Huh.” Eridan said, leaning back. “So do you remember in-”

“First date, yeah..”

“Do you remember how poorly it went?”

“I think that even if I was actually Aradia and actually dead, I w0uld still remember. I think that if I was s0me0ne was s0meb0dy fr0m a surr0unding t0wn they’d still remember.”

“It wwasn’t that bad.”

“We burned s0me0ne’s barn d0wn!”

“It wwas only one barn!”

Aradia paused. “Y0u’re using y0ur accent again.”

Eridan stopped. “No I wwasn’t. Wasn’t. I was not.”

“Y0u did.”

“Shut up. Do we have a place to be?”

“Yes. H0ld me!” Eridan grabbed Aradia’s hand as she dragged them both in front of the clock face. She reached out and touched the face, causing it to glow red. The red exploded outwards, causing everything but the face and Aradia to look red to Eridan. The clock face began running backwards, faster and faster, until the red faded from view and the sky came back. It was bright and snowing. 

“This is christmas 30 years ag0. Y0u’re 8. Y0u’re in sch00l.” Aradia said.

“Hmm.” Eridan said. He was trying to remember what it was.

“This is the first year y0u debated staying behind t0 w0rk 0ver Christmas instead 0f g0ing back t0 see y0ur friends and family.”

“Oh.”

Eridan floated down, entering the school via a window. He passed through it, and settled into a room. Across the room, in the very back was him. Sitting in a desk, scribbling furiously in a dark and empty room.

The door of the room opened, and Aradia came in. 8 year old Aradia.

“Don’t agree to a date with that boy!!” Eridan shouted at her. She didn’t react. “Hello?”

“They can’t hear y0u. Y0u’re just watching.” ghost Aradia explained as young Aradia walked through her. “Y0u can’t change the past, Eridan. Just change what y0u are n0w, and h0pe f0r the future.”

Eridan turned back to his 8-year-old self. “The future holds nothing for him or me.”

8 year old Aradia, noting that she did not have Eridan’s attention, spoke up again. “Eridaaaan!”

“Wwhat is it? I’m trying to wwork, AR. Don’t disturb me, please.” he said, stopping for an instant to look up at the girl.

“Eridan, it’s christmas.”

“I knoww.”

“Well, don’t you wanna go home? Christmas time, man! Joy and goodwill!”

“I said I wwas wworking.”

“Well, stop working! Come with me!!”

Eridan glared at his work. He did need it done, but he did sorta like Christmas.

“Come on, you won’t be behind anyone else. No one has worked as hard or as much or as long as you, they all stopped working like, a week ago. And all of them will be on break just as long as you’re gonna be…” she reasoned.

Eridan remained silent. “I guess.”

“And a week later, y0u were with all y0ur friends at a Christmas party.” Aradia said, clapping her hands and causing an explosion of red again. “And there y0u are!”

Eridan looked, seeing himself years ago. He recognized this. “Spirit. I do not wish to see this.”

“Hi!” some girl in the past said.

“Hullo.” Past Eridan said.

“Spirit. I don’t want to see this.”

“What’s your name?” the girl said.

“I don’t want this.”

“I’m Eridan Ampora.

“SPIRIT!! I DO NOT WWANT TO SEE THIS!! TAKE ME BACK HOME!!”

The girl thought for a second, then spoke.

“SPIRIT!! ARADIA!! TAKE ME BACK!!”

“That’s a really pretty name. My name is Feferi Peixes.”

Eridan sunk to the floor.

“I like your name, too.” Feferi said.

“Then, years later, y0u br0ke her heart.”

“Please don’t showw me that too…”

“Appect y0ur sin, Eridan.”

Aradia clapped her hands again. Eridan’s vision went red. He covered his ears, but he could not look away from himself, 15 years ago, shouting at the girl her loved, driving her away, hating himself afterwards, knowing he couldn’t fix it if he gave away all his money.

“Feferi…” Eridan whimpered, beginning to cry. “I’m so sorry…”

Red lights faded in and out once more, and Eridan found himself in his room.


End file.
